Read Wizard Dawning (The Battle Wizard Saga, No. 1) for Free Online

lowered her head and groaned.
    "I'm sorry to bring it up dear, but there were a lot of zombies. It takes a long time to raise that many. I'd be surprised if there were any more. However, we need to be on the lookout for more of the dark sorcerer's minions. Zombies aren't the only thing they can summon—or even the worst."

 
    Mom looked grim. "What can we do to defend ourselves?"
    Grampa Thor pursed his lips and thought. He looked at Sig. "I don't know who this sorcerer is or what he plans, but no matter, Sig must prepare. There's a lot of work to do, and more of what you saw upstairs. We don't know details about our enemy and what you see is a broken down wizard and a brand new, untrained Battle Wizard. Secrecy is our friend. We must keep our magic hidden—here on the farm."
    His lips twitched in a half smile. "No bragging about your son, the Battle Wizard."
    Meredith looked at him and nodded, emphatically. "We'll do whatever we need to. We're Lutherans. We're not known to brag."
    Grampa turned to Sig. "Are you ready to work your ass off?"
    "Ready and willing. I don't know if I'm able."
    "Why don't you change once more, now that there's some ceiling room? Let's get a good change accomplished. It's like falling off a horse; it's best to get back on and try again."
    Sig looked doubtful. He glanced at his Mom. "What do you think?"
    She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. "Maybe Grampa is right. If this must happen; I have to get used to it. After all, I've been telling you that I expect a growth spurt. I just didn't expect it like this," she said with a bleak smile.
    Sig nodded, inhaled deeply, and exhaled as if preparing for a deep dive. He inhaled again, clutched the amulet, and breathed out "Aðalbrandr." Everything blurred, his mother appeared to fall away, the ceiling plummeted toward him, he crouched, but then the world stabilized.
    He looked around. Mom and Grampa were so little and the ceiling seemed so close. He started to reach toward the ceiling when Grampa bellowed. "Watch out! Don't forget you've got that bloody big sword in your hand!"
    Sig looked at the sword in his right hand. He hadn't noticed it; it felt like a part of him. Its tip reached to within inches of the sloped ceiling. He looked down at his Mom. She gazed up at him with wide eyes and dropped jaw.
    He raised his left hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."
    She laughed hesitantly. "I won't be able to think of you as my little boy anymore." Grampa joined in with laughter and Meredith's became less forced. Sig stood there for a moment, afraid to move. Everything looked so different. He began to laugh with them; then stopped, startled by the deep booming laugh.
    That set Meredith and Thor off again. Finally, when Meredith could take a breath she said, "You still look like you. Your hair and eyes are still the same dark brown and blue." She gestured with a hand in front of her face. "And now I can see that the features are the same, but different."
    Grampa stood up. "Remember, 'Koma aftur' to return."
    Sig nodded and said "Koma aftur." Through a blur, his surroundings grew, until he stood next to Grampa, holding the amulet, looking him eye-to-eye.
    Grampa gave him a big proud smile. "Welcome back Shorty."
    His Mom got up, tears of laughter or something else leaking from her eyes, and wrapped her arms around him. She whispered, "Welcome back son."

 
    Pounding on the door startled him awake. He'd lain awake for hours until weariness from the day's activities overcame his racing thoughts.
    "C'mon hoss. You're wasting daylight." Grampa bellowed.
    Sig rolled over and peered at his clock through morning-glazed eyes—6:30 a.m. He jerked upright in bed, clutched at his chest, and found the medallion hanging at the end of its gold chain. He held it inches from his nose. Yesterday wasn't a dream.
    He brushed hair from his face with both hands and then glared toward the door when the pounding resumed. "I'm awake, come in."
    Grampa Thor hobbled in